


If Things Could Be Different

by NihilistOpossum



Category: 6969 - Ninja Sex Party (Song), Game Grumps, Ninja Sex Party - Fandom
Genre: Alternative Sexuality, Aromantic Danny, Asexual Arin, Enemies to Lovers, Explicit Language, Headcanon, Love at First Sight, M/M, Mutual Pining, Slightly Suggestive Ideas, Unrequited Love, Unrequited Lust, in-universe NSP, light gore
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-28
Updated: 2018-02-25
Packaged: 2019-03-23 16:46:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13791903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NihilistOpossum/pseuds/NihilistOpossum
Summary: After successfully creating the first fully operational time machine spaceship, renown sex idols Danny Sexbang and Ninja Brian feel the only logical year to travel to is 6969. When the two realise it's not everything they hoped it would be, Danny's first course of action is to track down those who have turned the world into a sexless wasteland. In the heat of the movement, Danny Sexbang realises his lustful emotions for the one in charge of the world-wide abstinence movement, sparking a new challenge. Things are only made more confusing when Arin Neverbone slowly falls head over heels for Danny as well, though not for the same reason.





	If Things Could Be Different

**Author's Note:**

> The base of this work lies on headcanoned sexualities for in-universe members of Ninja Sex Party...
> 
> Danny Sexbang - Pansexual and Aromantic
> 
> Arin Neverbone - Asexual and Demiromantic

* * *

Danny shook with joy and anticipation as he stood at the base of the ship. The deep blue and red he had painted the metal matched that of his spandex "spacesuit", and both shimmered faintly in the light. He had spent countless months attempting to create such a thing, and finally, he had done it. After all of his planning and working, having to take long breaks from his usual life of debauchery, he had managed to create the first time machine.

Beside him stood his faithful companion, Brian, clad in his own suit in preparation. Unlike Danny's, Brian's was solid black with gold insignias decorating it, and his signature ninja mask cloaked his expressionless face. Brian stood silently, staring at the phallic design Danny had decided to build the ship in. Brian was used to it all, having been at Danny's side since the beginning, following his rendezvous with great dedication, though it wasn't something he was heart-set on participating in. Brian found his own life much more interesting, allowing himself to cut loose his own morality. He knew that it often annoyed his companion, but the two continued to stand by each other, which was enough for him, even if it often resulted in Danny having to take breaks from his lifestyle to try to scold Brian for his.

Danny smiled as he looked at the ship, and then at Brian, whose eyes were glinting with a mix of worry and excitement through the slits of his mask. Brian caught the movement and spun to face the other man, instinctively reaching for one of many weapons that he made sure to keep on him at all times. Danny laughed, throwing his head back and allowing his hair to bounce slightly around his shoulders, the dark curls laying against the shimmering blue and red of his outfit.

"Brian, it's just me, you know that. Chill, buddy." Danny smiled and shook his head. "It's going to be a bit of a journey, and I don't need you offing me before we get anywhere."

Brain's eyes relaxed, shifting from their needle-like stare back to their usual calm grey-blue. He tucked the blade back into his suit alongside the multitude of others, then nodded. The sun stretched the ship's looming shadow along the dirt, and the painted metal glimmered in the light.

"Ready, Brian?" Danny's voice was quiet and curious. He wasn't sure if he himself was ready. The plan was simple. Get in, input the date, and head off for endless salaciousness. However, there had been no previous tests performed, and neither he nor Brian had prepared much. Danny would be leaving his world behind for something he wasn't sure would even work. He glanced downwards, deep in thought, his eyes fogging over as he worried about the results. It only made sense that the year 6969 would in fact be the best year for his passionate lifestyle, but he couldn't help but feel that something would go wrong along the way. Perhaps the ship wouldn't take off, or the time machine wouldn't work, or any number of things. Maybe they wouldn't be able to return, and they'd be stuck in a time period he didn't fit in to. Maybe he'd get there and regret it, realising that he had left behind one of the women he had been with, but didn't initially know how much he cared for. Although he often only felt lust in his relationships, Danny worried he would miss out on something if he left without saying goodbye. However, the last few women he had been with had all gone their separate ways, and he felt no need to track them down.

Danny grabbed his bass guitar from its place on the ground beside him, admiring the craftsmanship that had so obviously gone into it. It was now worn and chipping from his need to carry it around with him everywhere, but he had grown so connected to it. Being that his voice and his guitar were the things he had put so much time into mastering, he had come to rely of them as a form of comfort. Danny looked at his companion, who had since picked up his own instrument and was staring absentmindedly at the black and white keys. Though Brian had never told Danny about it, much like he had never really told Danny about anything, Danny had noticed that he seemed to have a similar connection to his keyboard and knives as Danny did to his bass. Though one was much more comfortable for Danny to want to be around than the other, he felt it was the least he could do to allow Brian to keep them both with him.

"Let's get going, alright? We'll be fine." Danny wasn't sure if he meant it or not, and he wasn't sure if saying it made him more convinced. However, the phrase received a willing nod from Brian, and that was all it took for him to know that things would somehow manage to turn out alright.

The two made their way to the bay doors, walking slowly up the ramp and to the ship. The sunlight faded as Danny turned to stare back towards his home, hoping that it wouldn't be the last time he did so. He motioned for Brian to make his way inside and get things up and running, then continued to stand at the top of the ramp. From his heightened perspective, Danny was able to watch the sun as it fell beneath the horizon. The sky was painted in bright oranges and pinks, and the low clouds glowed faintly. He stepped just inside the doors, hovering his hand over the button mounted on the wall beside them, his gaze transfixed on the sky before him.

As he pushed the button, his hand on the cold metal, the doors began to shut. The metal creaked and groaned as it folded downwards, the last bit of light being shut off as it touched the floor. He spoke to no one but himself as he turned to meet Brian in the main room.

"Please let this be worth it."

* * *

Brian had already put in the date in the time machine built into to the main control panels of the ship. The screen glowed a faint and grainy blue, and the buttons and dials blinked and flickered in an array of colors. Brian tugged at the fabric of his mask, pulling it away from his face just enough to make his heavy, anxiety-ridden breaths flow easier. As Danny laid a hand on his shoulder, he sighed with both relief and worry. If they were going to do this, at least they were going to be doing it together. Even though Brian had been caught trying to murder his companion on several occasions, he was always glad to know that he had never succeeded. The idea often seemed good at the time for one reason or another, but in the end, having Danny around somehow made things easier.

The blue light illuminated Danny's face as he looked closely at it, making sure nothing was input incorrectly. If everything went right, they would be arriving in the same spot they had taken off from, just in the distant future. He nodded at Brian, then spoke softly. "Looks good to me. Flip the switch and prepare for takeoff." He laughed, the phrase seeming silly at the time. Something heard so often by professionals seemed off to the two sex idols, neither of which having any proper training. Brian's knowledge had all come from books Danny had persuaded him to read, making sure that at least one of them had any idea what they were doing. "Prepare for year 6969!"

The ship rattled and the metal creaked as the engines flared to life. Flames spit from the boosters, the scent of fire and fuel filling the space around them. Danny carefully made his way to his seat beside Brian, trying not to fall due to the shaking just in the short walk there. Danny tried to ease his worries, looking at the patterns created in the blinking lights, then staring out the dash window and at the world before them as the ship took to the skies. He hoped it would soon be full of wildly attractive women, all begging to faun over the newcomers from the past. He pictured the landing, smoke billowing around them as they stepped out, scantily-clad people, most of which women, flocking to meet them both, then running their hands along his chest and through his hair. Danny's eyes fluttered shut as he allowed his mind to wander, getting far too lost in the idea, taking it much farther than he could've hoped for.

He shook himself out of his lascivious fantasy after a while, noticing how the ride had smoothed out. Brian was staring at him, a look of discomfort on his face. Danny ran his hands through his own hair, feeling the heat of his face and noticing the beads of sweat that had started to accumulate on his forehead. He chuckled nervously. "Sorry, Brian. I didn't mean to, uh..." He blushed, feeling bad that Brian had been sitting next to him while he had lost himself to wildly sexual fantasies. "If everything is safe now, I'll head to the back room to, um... get over all this..."

Brian nodded, his brows furrowed in discontent. Brian had been witness to Danny's frequent sexual displays all too many times, but he was still no more comfortable with them. Whether it was alone, with a woman he had just picked up, or with several different people, they still weren't something Brian wanted to be a part of. How Danny had managed to convince him to transport them to what he considered to be the "sexiest year", he still wasn't sure. Yet there they were, slowly but surely making their way there.

When Danny reached the back room, he stared at himself in the small mirror that he had made sure to include in the ship's design. His hair was mussed and his cheeks flushed, all too excited about his destination. Trying to take his mind off of it, he sat on the small bench built into the wall, staring out the porthole window on the same wall the bench was fixed to. Through the glass he was able to see the world growing smaller and smaller behind them, and he felt the pressure shift and they broke through the atmospheric barrier. Danny had built the ship strong enough to make its way into space purely for his own enjoyment. However, it also gave enough time for the time machine to properly calibrate, forcing them to need to go the extra distance anyway. Danny was in awe. The stars shimmered so much brighter and planet Earth looked so much more irrelevant in comparison to it all.

He picked up his bass, which he had set in that room beside Brian's keyboard to keep them both safe. Strumming a few chords, he hummed to himself, too caught up in the glow of the stars to come up with words. His hums were soft and quiet, and the tune he played was calming. Danny leaned back on the bench, laying sideways as he played. He draped one leg off of the side to better fit his rangy form, the bass laying across his torso. He smiled as he continued to play, closing his eyes and losing himself in the music.

Not realising time had passed at all, Danny was jolted from his blissful state by the sound of the door to the back room sliding open. His humming stopped immediately, and he lost his rhythm, plucking out one last chord in the wrong tune. Danny tried to right himself, but the thinness of the bench caused him to drop his bass and hit his head against the window. When he recovered from his brief mishap, he was met with Brian, having caught Danny's instrument and picked up his own.

Danny spoke quickly, the words sloppy. "You heard me, didn't you? I'm sorry, I don't usually play like that. I was just... distracted, I guess." He laughed nervously as he took his bass from Brian's grasp. "I forgot I gave this thing autopilot. Everything is set, then?"

Brian nodded, the outline of his smile slightly visible from beneath the mask. He looked at Danny, his eyes warm and peaceful.

"You can take that off, you know. Your mask. No one else is here." Danny didn't expect him to react, as he had asked many times but never gotten anything from it. Brian had taken his mask off around Danny only once before, revealing his face for just a second, and it hadn't been on purpose. He had done his best to keep it covered, for reasons Danny could only guess. Never had Brian told him outright, but he assumed it was more of a personal comfort thing than an actual disguise.

Brian fidgeted with the fabric, tugging around his neck and loosening it just a bit. He had his reasons for keeping the mask on, and he knew that Danny was always respectful of his wishes in that instance. When the two had first met, before they knew much about each other, Danny had pressed, asking seemingly endless questions and getting upset when Brian didn't answer any of them. But after a while, Brian had found ways to keep his vow of silence and secrecy while still making sure he could communicate with his companion. Over years, the two were able to converse almost purely through expression, Brian rarely had to write anything out or use what little sign language he had picked up.

Danny spoke again. "You don't have to if you don't want to... but, it would probably feel pretty nice, since you have it on all the time. We can just sit and play, though, if you'd rather. Since you have your keyboard and all..."

The ship still had a while to go before the time machine was fully calibrated, and Brian had come back to meet Danny after hearing his melodies from up front. He was going to try to sneak in and start playing his keyboard, trying to match the other man's tones as best as he could, but Danny had noticed his entry immediately. He looked at the person sitting in the bench before him, the person he had worked along side for as long as he could remember, the only person he had allowed himself to become such a close friend to. Danny had seen his full face once before, and he knew he would eventually have to get comfortable not wearing his mask around him if the two were going to continue their adventures together. Brian's eyes were hazy, and he pulled lightly at the fabric around them, making sure it didn't get caught. Then, he tucked his thumbs under the fabric around his neck, lifting the mask and exposing his face.

Brian kept his face lowered for a while after removing his mask. His greying hair stuck out at weird angles due to being compressed for so long, and his eyes were closed as he prepared himself mentally for what he would see in his reflection in the mirror beside them. As he lifted his head, he looked first at Danny, a look of worry and anxiety plastered on his face.

"Oh, Brian..." Danny was almost silent, his voice breathy and concerned. "You didn't have to... you can put it back on if you're uncomfortable."

Brian then looked at the small mirror, starting at a face he himself didn't even like to see. Large scars decorated his face, memories of when he still worked alone, when he made it his job to hunt and kill, often resulting in retaliation. The pale scars were like stripes and crosses, some spanning much larger areas than others. One lead down his neck, and he held his own hand up to it, tracing it with the tip of his forefinger. He flinched, that one holding the strongest memory in his mind. It was the one that had almost killed him, and the last one he had gotten before teaming up with Danny. He remembered that being how the two had first met, blood dripping from Brian's face, his mask sliced and revealing the wound. Danny had brought him in then, cleaning him up and inviting him to stick alongside him. And that's how things has stayed.

"Brian? Are you sure you're doing ok?" Danny looked at the distant and foggy look in his partner's eyes, the way tears seemed to be on the brink of falling. "You can just sit for a while. There's still a bit of time before we're in the right year, you don't have to do anything until then."

Glancing up, Brian's eyes met the younger man's. His lips contorted in an unconvincing grin. Outside, stars shimmered in far-off star systems, and the sun glowed brightly in their own. The vastness of space was somehow calming, and Brian made his way to the bench next to Danny, taking a seat and pulling his keyboard in front of him. He hit one key, the tone ringing in the small metal room.

"If you're sure." Danny grinned, setting his bass on his lap. "What do you want to play? What I was playing earlier?"

Brian nodded, then hit another key, a smooth note droning out in the air around the two of them. Danny's own playing soon joined in, setting a pace for them to follow. Brian played a bit more, following his partner's lead, fingers dancing slowly along the keys. It was a relief to be able to sit without the mask, as the fabric was uncomfortable when stuck there constantly. As long as he didn't look in the mirror, he would be alright.

Danny smiled as they played, this song softer than many of the ones they had written together in the past. "It wasn't anything in particular, I was just making it up. It doesn't even have any words." He laughed under his breath, then began humming as he had been before Brian walked in. He leaned against the window, feeling the icy twinge of the glass and looking at the man seated next to him, glad to see him without his mask again.

The two continued playing as they waited for the time machine to be fully calibrated, dulcet tones filling the ship.

* * *

Brian quickly threw his mask back on as he sat himself at the controls again. The two had played for longer than they had meant to, and the time machine had been ready for a while. Danny stood behind Brian, leaning over the glowing screens, watching as Brian flipped dials and hit buttons in swift movements. The ship swiveled to face Earth again, the planet looking small from their perspective. Danny wobbled as they darted forwards, then attempted again to find his way to his own seat.

As they shot back towards their home planet, Danny hoped for the best. He tried not to let himself get caught up in fantasies before they happened, not wanting to accidentally make Brian uncomfortable again, and he instead distracted himself by looking out at the darkness around them. Stars flew by as the flames flared behind them, propelling them towards their destination. If everything had worked, they would be arriving in a distant year, which Danny hoped to be the land of his dreams. Just thinking about it got him flustered, and he flushed slightly as his previous salacious fantasy came back to mind.

Brian was thrown off when the pressure shifted, the ship entering the atmosphere again. Immediately, he noticed a difference, but the man beside him was too caught up in his own ideas to think anything of it. Brian slowed the ship, looking at the dull landscape beneath them. He thought perhaps it was just an unfortunate city, and that the surrounding area would be much better, but as he flew around looking for the best spot to land, he noticed no difference. Everywhere seemed to be a faint grey, as if something catastrophic had taken place in the past. Buildings were plain and without distinct form.

He tried to shake Danny from his blissfully aroused state, but it to no avail. As he landed the ship, Danny was shaken awake again, yet still distracted. All he wanted was to get out to all of the people he had gone there for, entrancing all of them with the charm he was so well known for. Brian knew there was no use in trying to get Danny to notice the issues at hand, and instead waited for him to notice on his own. He opened the bay doors, letting his companion wander down the ramp, holding his arms out in a welcome to all the people he hoped would soon me flocking towards him, smothering him in affection and lust. He stood for a moment at the end of the ramp, waiting for the crowds, before forcing himself to see the world for what it was.

When he looked out at the city, his eyes widened in confusion. The buildings stood tall, lit with flickering neon signs he didn't bother to read. The city was a dull grey, and people wandered the streets, not making eye contact with one another. They all wore plain and prude clothing, matching long sleeve turtlenecks and jeans for everyone. No one ran towards him, no one even bothered to acknowledge that a bright blue and red ship had landed in the middle of their city. Some glanced for a brief moment from the corners of their eyes, but quickly and shamefully adverted their gaze upon noticing the phallic shape.

Brian stood beside Danny, setting a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. He motioned to suggest heading back to their own time period, but Danny refused.

"Brian. We came here, we set this up. 6969 was supposed to be the year of lust, and here we are met with _this_. You think I'm just going to leave them like this?"

Brian stared at the younger man, a confused and vaguely concerned look in his eyes. He wasn't sure what Danny expected them to do, but he didn't want to be a part of it. Grabbing the fabric of Danny's suit, he attempted to pull him back into the ship, knowing that it wasn't their business to mess with the timeline. If things went wrong, he didn't want it to be his fault.

But Danny pulled forward. "No, Brian. I just wanted to show up, have a good time, and leave. Instead, I'm met with what looks like a sexless hellscape. I'm fixing this. _We're_ fixing this. I have to know what happened."

* * *

Danny wove through the city, Brian closely in tow. The two darted between groups of people, all in the signature outfit, averting their gaze from the two newcomers. Danny had stopped to speak with a few as they ran, but none were willing to speak with him, much less make eye contact. He contemplated changing his clothes, matching the rest of the dystopian society around him, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. His outfit was as big of a part of himself as his music and his sex-crazed lifestyle. Brian carried knives in either of his hands, ready to attack whoever tried to get in their way, even though he didn't feel the need to be trying to stop this. They wouldn't be alive to see it, anyway.

The only information they got was from people who refused to hold a conversation, only directing them to a specific part of town, to a specific group who they claimed was in charge. The name, to Danny, would've suggested the opposite, but he didn't have anything to lose. And so the pair of time travelers made their way to the Dick Elder base.

As they ran, the fog grew denser. Everything was the same dull shade of grey, the only lights coming from neon signs reminding everyone of their new abstinence-based laws. Each new sign they passed sent a twinge of pain to Danny's heart, and he only ran faster, hoping to put an end to it all. Brian was less worried about the situation, but refused to send his closest friend off on a mission all his own, especially if it could result in death on one end or the other. At the very least, he wanted to be there to see it.

Soon enough, the two stood before the building that they had been directed to. The home of the Council Of Dick Elders. It towered before them, the grey rock and metal it was built of matching everything else around them. However, the outside was decorated with spires and intricate designs, architecture that stood out more than the rectangular skyscrapers that littered the rest of the city. Just like their own ship, it had been built in a phallic design, and Danny couldn't understand how the group in charge of the new world managed to make that their base. Danny stood for a while trying to plan things out. The sky above was dark, and the lights flickered around them.

Turning to Brian, Danny spoke, his words breaking the silence that surrounded them. "I want to fix this. If I can talk to them, maybe they'll listen."

Brian looked dejectedly at the weapons he held in his hands, then at the man standing beside him. He didn't imagine anyone who had taken their ideas to that extreme would be willing to change their minds for a few time travelers.

"Yeah, I know, buddy. If they don't listen, go all out. At least then things will be fixed. I'll give you a signal if I think you have a shot, alright?" Danny lead his companion closer to the building, walking slowly along the cobblestone path. The only noise was the sound of their footsteps and the heavy breathing caused by their rush to the base. "We can do this."

* * *

Danny burst through the doors. Light shone in through the red stained glass window at the head of the room. Instantly, he was met with the silhouettes of all of the council members seated before him. They were all a level higher than he and Brian, and their figures looked down upon them. Each wore the same outfit, though it was vastly different from that of the normal citizens. Black cloaks draped around them, and hoods covered their eyes. Spikes shot from armor on their shoulders, and chains and gems hung from their necks. The group was unlike what Danny and Brian had expected, and Danny couldn't help but feel intimidated.

However, he still managed to speak up, mustering all of his remaining confidence. "Dick Elders! We've seen what you've done to this place, and I can't let it continue!" His voice echoed in the room, the high ceiling bouncing the noise around them.

The man he assumed to be the leader spoke first, the cloak still masking his face. "The time travelers... You've made your way here. So quick to think we'd even consider your offer."

Danny was thrown off. They already knew of their presence in their time period, though the two of them had only been there for a short wile. "How do you expect this to work? What are you trying to accomplish here?" He spit words quickly, trying to force his message onto the group.

"You know exactly what we're doing. And we already know you're here to stop us, too. You shouldn't feel empowered here, _interlopers_. It's already working so well... And you come along in your seductive clothing, flaunting yourself like that?" He laughed, just a short and forceful sound.

Danny looked at the council members. Each sat tall, but none looked more empowered than the one he was speaking to. "And what makes you think we can't do anything? You've taken something vital, throwing society into a bland nothingness."

The leader spoke again, his voice booming through the building. "It's better this way. And this isn't your place to intervene, anyway. Go back to your own year, or face the consequences." The leader's voice was gravely and stern, and his cloak wavered as he spoke, his silhouette standing out against the red light behind him.

Brian stood behind Danny, pulling out one of his knives, looking at the way the blade glimmered in the light. He felt the conversation was dragging on too long, and regretted allowing Danny to drag him along. His companion's rendezvous weren't something he felt he needed to be a part of, much less try to defend. As soon as Danny gave the signal, Brian was ready to jump into attack, finishing the job and allowing the other man to fulfill his fantasy before taking off to their own time, leaving it all behind them.

Danny's voice was starting to shake. "What power do you think you have over us? Reveal yourself, coward!"

In one brisk movement, the leader threw the cloak from his face, revealing the man beneath it. The fabric settled around his shoulders and his hair fell loosely from the hood, the silky brown strands flowing down his back. He kept his eyes closed and he spoke. "I am the leader of this place. The one everyone has fallen under the orders of. And you are soon to follow, if you don't back down."

Danny held his hand behind him, readying to signal to Brian. His arm was quivering, and his face flushed slightly. "And what is your name?" Danny twisted his brows in curiosity and mockery, wanting the man's last words to be his own title.

From the silhouette glowed two glassy brown eyes as he looked upon the two standing before him, and the man rose to his feet before speaking. "Arin Neverbone." The words were strong and forceful, as though saying them determined his dominance.

The next few moments were a blur.

Danny had signaled for Brian to make his move, and Brian thrust from behind his companion, his blades directed at the man standing before them. The rest of the council members threw themselves in front of their leader, trying to take the blow. The other three were struck down, nameless faces in a dark room, and blood pooled where their lifeless bodies lay. Brian lunged to the side, positioning himself to make the final slice. Arin turned, his cloak flowing behind him, the heavy fabric dragging through the blood of his fallen council members. As he moved to the side, his face was brought into the light, and Danny's watchful eyes affixed their gaze to his movements. His heart pounded, and his breathing hitched, though it wasn't from the excitement. It was something else. He couldn't help but cry out in a lustful dismay.

"Brian, stop!"

Brian froze, his blade only seconds from his victim's demise, the glistening metal tip pressed to Arin's neck, his beard slightly obstructing it. He didn't move. Neither did Arin. Brian knew that if Danny had told him to stop after finally allowing him to break loose, something had to be seriously wrong. Perhaps he wanted to hold Arin there a bit longer, making sure his thought process was drilled into his mind before he was killed. Perhaps he had some other plan. Brian waited patiently, but lifted Arin's face higher, pressing the blade skyward. Brian looked at Arin, shooting icy grey-blue needles with his sight, staring menacingly at the way Arin's brown eyes shimmered fearfully in the warm red glow around them.

"Stay where you are. I have to see this man up close for myself." Danny slowly made his way to where the two others stood motionless. The blue and red of his spandex outfit sparkled as he walked, and his hair bounced lightly at his shoulders. As he looked at the man, helpless at Brian's disposal, he felt a twinge in his chest. Something about seeing his pain, the way he feared so much for his own life in that very moment, stung him more than anything he had felt before. He felt something else, as well. The same thing he had been longing to feel when he had initially planned the trip. Danny grabbed the blade from Brian's hand, keeping it pressed to Arin's neck. He stared deeply into the man's eyes, letting Arin's legs buckle as he inched closer, forcing him to shrink to just beneath Danny's own height.

"You said your name was Arin?" Danny's voice was soothing, though he knew he had the council leader in his most vulnerable state.

Arin's voice shook, and his hands quaked. Beads of sweat rolled from his face, falling and mixing with the blood at his feet. "Y-yes... And I know who you are, as well, S-sexbang. We knew this was coming for eons now." He tried to maintain his assertive tone, but his barriers had fallen. "You don't need anything else from me, p-please, get it over with already." He pushed his neck against the blade, offering his life to the other men.

Danny pulled Brian's weapon towards himself. "There's something about you, Arin... Something I just can't seem to put my finger on..."

Whether it was for his own comfort, or for that of those around him, he himself couldn't tell. But Danny had been lying as he said that. He knew exactly what it was. A deep ardent lust had flared to life when he had first seen Arin, and he couldn't seem to shake the feeling. Perhaps it had been his wanton need that had not been fulfilled, or perhaps it was the way Arin's face had been illuminated in the dark building, or maybe the way he fought and ruled with such determined power. He didn't know why, but certainly, something was there.

"And I can't bring myself to kill you." Danny laughed as he cast the blade to the side, the metal skittering across the cobblestone floor, blade shimmering in the light. "However, this doesn't mean I'm not still going to put an end to all of this."

Arin fell to the floor, collapsing under his own weight, his hand landing beside the blood that had since continued to spread. Rocks from the cobble floor dug into his hand, cold and sharp. "And your compassion doesn't mean I'm not still willing to off you and your little friend when I get the chance."

Danny backed away, calling Brian to his side, taking one last long look at the other man before stepping away.

* * *

Back at the ship, Danny picked up his bass guitar, strumming the same chords he had been on the ride over. Brian looked at him curiously from the other side of the small room, wondering what had caused Danny to give up so quickly, especially when they had been so close.

Danny shifted in his seat, humming to himself, smiling dreamily at the nothingness in front of him. He had been thinking about Arin. Thinking about the way he had looked just before he had let him go. He wondered how he could convince him to join his side, happily living under his ideals. He wondered if things could ever be different. When he opened his eyes, he was met with Brian's and the confusion that came with them.

"You know, Brian. I'm glad we let that guy go. We'll find him again in a day or so, I just... needed some time to think things over." Danny's voice was soft, and his eyes sparked faintly. Looking again at Brian's confused expression, he was thrown back into reality. "Brian...? What's wrong? I know you wanted some bloodshed, buddy, but you got three people today. That's better than usual." He laughed again, then looked as Brian turned away from him, typing something into the keyboard of the ship. Danny froze, knowing that Brian rarely resorted to using written words to convey his message.

As he turned the screen to face Danny, Brian looked his dead in the eyes. In grainy blue text was a single phrase. Five short words, glowing faintly in the electronic lettering. The light illuminated the black of Brian's mask with a pale blue. As Danny read, he let his bass fall to the floor, the strings sounding as they shook from the impact.

_"You love him, don't you?"_

* * *

 


End file.
